This invention relates to amorphous metal alloys. Particularly, the invention relates to iron-boron-silicon amorphous metals and articles made thereof having improved magnetic properties and physical properties.
Amorphous metals may be made by rapidly solidifying alloys from their molten state to a solid state. Various methods known in rapid solidification technology include spin casting and draw casting, among others. Vapor and electrodeposition can also be used to make amorphous metals. Amorphous metals provided by any of the above methods have distinctive properties associated with their non-crystalline structure. Such materials have been known, for example, to provide improved mechanical, electrical, magnetic and acoustical properties over counterpart metal alloys having crystalline structure. Generally, the amorphous nature of the metal alloy can be determined by metallographic techniques or by X-ray diffraction. As used herein, an alloy is considered "amorphous" if the alloy is substantially amorphous, being at least 75% amorphous. Best properties are obtained by having a (200) X-ray diffraction peak of less than one inch above the X-ray background level. This peak, in the case of body centered cubic ferrite (the hypoeutectic crystalline solid solution), occurs at a diffraction angle of 106.degree. when using Cr.sub.K.sbsb..alpha. radiation.
Unless otherwise noted, all composition percentages recited herein are atomic percentages.
There are various known alloy compositions of Fe-B-Si. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,513, Chen et al, discloses an alloy and sheets, ribbons and powders made therefrom under the general formula M.sub.60-90 Y.sub.10-30 Z.sub.0.1-15 where M is iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium or mixtures thereof, Y is phosphorus, carbon, boron, or mixtures thereof and Z is aluminum, silicon, tin, antimony, germanium, indium, beryllium and mixtures thereof which can be made substantially amorphous. There are also known alloy compositions of Fe-B-Si which have shown promising magnetic properties and other properties for superior performance in electrical apparatus such as motors and transformers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,355, Luborsky, discloses an iron-boron-silicon alloy with crystallization temperature (the temperature at which the amorphous metal reverts to its crystalline state) of at least 608.degree. F. (320.degree. C.), a coercivity of less than 0.03 oersteds, and a saturation magnetization of at least 174 emu/g (approximately 17,000 G). Generally, the alloy contains 80 or more atomic percent iron, 10 or more atomic percent boron and no more than about 6 atomic percent silicon. An amorphous metal alloy strip, greater than 1-inch (2.54 cm) wide and less than 0.003-inch (0.00762 cm) thick, having specific magnetic properties, and made of an alloy consisting essentially of 77-80% iron, 12-16% boron and 5-10% silicon, all atomic percentages, is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 235,064, by the common Assignee of the present application.
Attempts have been made to modify such amorphous materials by additions of other elements to optimize the alloy compositions for electrical applications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,135, DeCristofaro, discloses an iron-boron-silicon alloy having 1.5 to 2.5 atomic percent carbon to enhance the magnetic properties. U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,438, Aso et al, discloses an iron-boron-silicon magnetic alloy containing 2-20 atomic percent ruthenium.
An article entitled "Magnetic Properties of Amorphous Fe-Cr-Si-B Alloys" by K. Inomata et al, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. Mag.-17, No. 6, November 1981, discloses substitution of Fe with Cr in high boron, low silicon amorphous alloys. There it is reported that Cr greatly decreases the Curie temperature, slightly increases crystallization temperature, decreases coercive force and magnetic core loss and increases initial magnetic permeability.
Chromium in amorphous alloys is also known for other reasons. U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,867, Matsumoto et al, relates to iron-chromium completely amorphous alloys having 1-40% Cr and 7-35% of at least one element of boron, carbon and phosphorus for improving mechanical properties, heat resistance and corrosion resistance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,201, Polk et al, discloses amorphous iron alloys containing 5-20% chromium for the purpose of improving resistance to embrittlement of the alloy.
While such known alloy compositions may have provided relatively good magnetic properties, they are not without drawbacks. All of the above alloys are costly because of the relatively large amount of boron. A lower boron version is highly desirable. Also, higher crystallization temperatures are desirable in order that the alloy will have less tendency to revert back to the crystalline state. The composition should be close to a eutectic composition so as to facilitate casting into the amorphous condition. Furthermore, the eutectic temperature should be as low as possible for purposes of improving castability. It is also desirable that the magnetic saturation should be high, on the order of at least 13,500 G. An object of this invention is to provide such an alloy which can compete with known conventional commercial nickel-iron alloys such as Al 4750 which nominally comprises 48% Ni-52% Fe, by weight percentage.
Furthermore, puddle turbulence of the molten metal during the casting of amorphous metal strip is a chronic problem with "melt-drag" or draw casting techniques and can lead to surface defects and decreased quench rate. Examples of draw casting techniques are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,836, issued Aug. 4, 1970, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,571, issued Mar. 6, 1979. An addition to the metal alloy which will reduce such turbulence is highly desirable.